‘Anti-narcotics policy being reviewed’

Islamabad :The revision of the Anti-Narcotics Policy is in process to the benefit of provinces to formulate their own policies on the same pattern.
This was disclosed by the secretary of the Ministry of Narcotics Control while chairing a meeting of the provincial secretaries of the Health Services and Secretaries, Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control regarding the drug use and spreading of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B and C by the injecting drug users at the Ministry of Narcotics Control on Thursday.
The representatives of all provinces including Azad Jammu and Kashmir, FATA Secretariat and Anti-Narcotics Force attended the meeting. The meeting was the first of its kind after the 18th Amendment. The purpose of the meeting was to develop a more coordinated approach towards the control of drug usage, spreading of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis through injectable drug use and further the rehabilitation of the drug addicts.
The meeting was informed that the National Anti-Narcotics Policy was formulated in 2010 and it has to be revised after every five years. The secretary of the narcotics control also apprised participants about the revision of the Anti-Narcotics Policy.
He also referred to the National Narcotics Control Committee's meeting wherein a number of important decisions were taken. One of the decisions related to constitution of Provincial Narcotics Control Committee, which needs to be activated and also the actions should be shared with the Ministry of Narcotics Control. All participants briefed the meeting about the initiatives taken by their respective provinces regarding narcotics control, HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B & C treatment prevention.